Fast ForwardThe 2017 GEICO 500Talladega SuperspeedWAY

Welcome to Fast Forward!

Each race week we will take a glance at the upcoming Cup Series race and give you our insighton who might be the best pick to win the race, or at least score you some points in your fantasy race league!We're playing, too! Let's see if Vivian can defend her title from 2016!

Have I mentioned lately that I hate the racing at this track? I have since 1988 and the advent of the restrictor plate! They’ve proven over and over, in every conceivable way that the things don’t work as intended… keeping cars from taking flight… yet inexplicably, they are still with us and creating races that are not worth the effort it takes to sit for three-plus hours watching safety crews pick up piles of sheet metal that started the day as beautiful, brightly painted race cars.Out of that mess, I think one driver stands out as the best bet for anyone’s money. There are only 2 drivers that have finished on the lead lap in each of the last 6 races, and both drive for Stewart-Haas Racing. Nope, Kurt is not one of them. They are Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer… the forgotten man. I’m making Kevin my pick for Sunday because his finish record is a bit better, but if Clint were to win at Talladega, I’d probably be the one cheering the loudest.

I wasn’t sure about my pick for this week’s race at Talladega until Thursday morning. That’s when I stepped out of the media center and I saw ol’ Arnold open the back door of the limo and who should step out but Clyde Torkel himself. There’s only one reason Torkel would be at the track, and that means he’s running a car. Then I saw Lugs Harvey walking up, covered head to toe in car grime, and I knew they were going to be fast. That’s why this week at Talladega, my pick to beat Aubrey James is none other than Stroker Ace in the No. 7 Clyde Torkel Chicken Pit Special!

Not as dumb as the story above, my pick this week is that cat in the double eights, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

It's Talladega. You can pick Timmy Hill and not look like an idiot, because he's as just likely to get lucky and finish well as much as the next guy. Hell, you can probably pick Uncle Bud up in row 14K, since his chances of missing "the Big One" are better than somebody actually behind a steering wheel. I don't like these races, and I'll be at a totally different kind of motorsports event while the Pinball 500 is going on, but I have to make a pick, so I'm going with Kez in #2. Maybe the Penske mojo will work for him. Maybe his name sounds enough like those of the Native Americans who - it's said - were buried here and haunt the place today. Maybe.

Time for some fans to hold their breath as they watch and feel afraid for all drivers since this is a restrictor plate race. This week I am picking all the drivers to win, especially if they survive without incident during this grueling race. However, on a serious note, I would love to see Dale, Jr win but just don't think it can happen. Then I look at JJ and also Logano but they have won recently and don't see that happening again. Think I will just flip a coin and choose heads for the Kez and tails for Harvick. It came up tails so Go! #4 - Kevin Harvick.

Dale Jr., obviously. He’s going to win this season, and he’s going to win at one of his best tracks. Dale Jr. may be retiring, but a win at Talladega in front of his favorite fans would close the circle on this popular driver’s career.Dale Jr. for the win at Dega!

Agree? Disagree?Play Along! Make Your Picks!

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Race Fans Forever are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of Race Fans Forever. Race Fans Forever is not affiliated with NASCAR or any other motorsports sanctioning body in any form..